Shrovetide 2011 in Russia

Shrovetide is one of the most spectacular and fun Eastern Slavonic holidays. Pagan rite of spring meeting today is integrated in Orthodox culture and became a part of church tradition. In 2011 celebration of Shrovetide in Russia is also going to be mass and cheerful. It is worth noting that Shrovetide is also a tourist brand, one of the most recognizable and popular festivals among foreigners. Today Shrovetide is celebrated not only in Russia. It is celebrated around the world.

Shrovetide 2011 in Moscow

17 million rubles for the organization and 300 thousand participants – so are the major figures of the coming "Grand Shrovetide" in Moscow, the celebration of which will take place on Vasilevsky descent from 4 to 6 of March. There will appear Shrovetide town and will be installed stalls where people will be able to enjoy pancakes with different fillings. Here you can watch skomorokhs, "Hamers" drummer ensemble dressed in Peter the Great's era dresses, folk ensembles, participate in contests. Distribution of pancakes will be free. Near the walls of the Kremlin will be installed the 6-meter icy hill, where anyone will be able to ride. Opening of Shrovetide in Moscow is scheduled for March 4 at 18.00.

It is worth noting that Shrovetide in Moscow began to celebrate on Monday. Thus, in the open-air museum "Kolomna" was staged presentation for children home’s inmates. Traditional centers of celebrating Shrovetide in Moscow will be:

- WEC (5 and 6 of March from 12.00),
- Gorky park (5 and 6 of March from 13.00),
- Arkhangelskoye estate (March 6 from 12.00)
- Izmailovsky Kremlin (March 6 at 13.00)
- "Hermitage" garden (March 6 at 17.00)

Shrovetide 2011 in St. Petersburg

Shrovetide in St. Petersburg will also please visitors of the northern capital by its scale and treatments. The main celebration of Shrovetide in St. Petersburg will be held on March 6 on Forgiveness Sunday. Festivities will be held in the Alexander Garden (from 14.00), in the Moscow Victory Park (at 13.00), 300 years of St. Petersburg park (at 13.00). Intense program with awards is expected on March 6, 2011 at the Constantine Palace. In the Pavlovsk Park in St Petersburg on 6 March from 12.00 will operate Shrovetide state, where the tradition of celebrating the arrival of spring will present dozens of countries, including Italy, Bulgaria, Finland and Serbia.

Shrovetide in Yekaterinburg

The center of Shrovetide celebrations in Yekaterinburg will be the Mayakovsky central park of culture and rest. Here festivities will begin on March 6. Museums, including Museum of the Urals writers, Reshetnikov Museum, Museum of Mamin-Sibiryak prepared special festive programs. Celebrations will also take place on the lake Shartash.

Shrovetide in Nizhny Novgorod

Shrovetide 2011 in Nizhny Novgorod this year will be held on March 6 throughout the city. In total the city authorities presented 83 venues for Shrovetide in Nizhny Novgorod. One of the central places for celebration will be the square of Minin and Pozharsky.

Shrovetide in Kazan

The capital of Tatarstan, Kazan, opens Shrovetide celebrations in the parks and squares this weekend, offering along with traditional pancakes Tatar cuisine dishes that can be tasted at the fair. Among the brightest and most interesting places of celebration is “Shrovetide for the family”, which will be held on March 6 in the Kazan zoological and botanical garden (beginning at 12.00). Here the holiday guests can expect clowns and presentations of theater troupes. Each participant will be able to make his own Shrovetide doll to the burn it along with the main Shrovetide effigy in the end of the celebration.

Shrovetide in Ufa

Ufa will celebrate Shrovetide for three days. On March 4 in the Pervomaysky recreation park (from 14.00), on March 5 - near the Nizhegorodets stadium (from 14.00), on March 6 - in the Demsky area recreation park, in the Aksakov garden, in the Kashkadan park, in the petrochemical park and the park of I. Yakutov.

Shrovetide in Novosibirsk

Shrovetide will be celebrated on the streets of Novosibirsk, on its squares and parks on March 6. Thus, the Broad Shrovetide will be held in the Birch Grove park (from 14.00), where guests will be able to participate in the national fightings, the Siberian felt boot, watch performances of folk music ensembles and, of course, enjoy pancakes.

Russian Shrovetide in London

Current celebration of Shrovetide says that this festival is seriously expected to become not local, but international. The first major platform for the Export Shrovetide will be the center of London – the Trafalgar Square. Here, on 6 March 2011 will be held a large concert of Russian musicians, will be organized stalls with souvenirs from Palekh and Khokhloma. And will be organized a video link between London and Moscow.